Zimbabwe: First power from controversial emergency project

Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company began receiving power from the first 100MW unit of the 200MW Dema emergency power plant in mid July. Since the government began talks with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group last year, there has been a concerted push to improve the country’s woeful power situation. Alongside Dema, a 120MW emergency plant is planned for Mutare, tenders have been reissued for the refurbishment of the country’s moribund coal power plants, as well as a solar tender and a feed-in tariff for renewable energy independent power producers.